Visa Waiver to the United States
What is the Visa Waiver Program?
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables nationals of certain countries including the United Kingdom to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. The program was established in 1986 with the objective of eliminating unnecessary barriers to travel, stimulating the tourism industry, and permitting the Department of State to focus consular resources in other areas. VWP eligible travelers may apply for a visa, if they prefer to do so. Not all countries participate in the VWP, and not all travelers from VWP countries are eligible to use the program. VWP travelers are screened prior to admission into the United States, and they are enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security’s US-VISIT program.
If you are a national of the 27 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program you may utilize the program if the purpose of your stay in the United States is 90 days or less for tourism or business. Visa Waiver Program entrants are not permitted to extend their visits or change to another visa category.
List of Countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Important Notice on the Visa Waiver:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces implementation of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which will begin to accept voluntary ESTA applications starting on August 1, 2008. ESTA is a new fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel to the United States, and VWP travelers are encouraged to apply for authorization as soon as they begin to plan a trip to the United States. It is anticipated that ESTA will become mandatory for VWP travelers on January 12, 2009.
Click on the following link to download the PDF on the Electronic System For Travel Authorization. PDF
Frequently Asked Questions About ESTA
07/02/2008
Q: What is the Electronic System for Travel Authorization?
A: ESTA is an automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and whether such travel poses any law enforcement or security risk.
Q: Who is required to submit an electronic travel authorization via ESTA?
A: ESTA will be implemented as a mandatory program 60 days after publication of a notice in the Federal Register. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) anticipates that the Secretary of Homeland Security will issue that notice in November 2008, for implementation of the mandatory ESTA requirements on Jan. 12, 2009. Once ESTA is mandatory, all nationals or citizens of VWP countries who plan to travel to the United States for temporary business or pleasure under the VWP will be required to receive an electronic travel authorization through ESTA prior to boarding a U.S.-bound airplane or vessel. Accompanied and unaccompanied children, regardless of age, will be required to obtain an independent ESTA approval. A third party, such as a relative or travel agent, will be permitted to submit an ESTA application on behalf of a VWP traveler.
Q: What is the Visa Waiver Program?
A: The VWP is administered by DHS and enables eligible nationals of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Additional information regarding the VWP is available on CBP.gov.
Q: Which countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program?
A: Citizens or nationals of the following countries are currently eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP:
Andorra,
Austria,
Australia,
Belgium,
Brunei,
Denmark,
Finland,
France,
Germany,
Iceland,
Ireland,
Italy,
Japan,
Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg,
Monaco,
The Netherlands,
New Zealand,
Norway,
Portugal,
San Marino,
Singapore,
Slovenia,
Spain,
Sweden,
Switzerland,
United Kingdom.
Q: Why is authorization under ESTA required for U.S.-bound travel under the Visa Waiver Program?
A: Recently-passed U.S. legislation that amends Section 217(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) mandates that DHS implement an electronic travel authorization system and other measures to enhance the security of the VWP. International travelers are already familiar with security measures that are necessary to protect travelers and crew. ESTA adds another layer of security that allows DHS to determine, in advance of travel, whether an individual is eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP and whether such travel poses a law enforcement or security risk.
Q: Is an ESTA a visa?
A: No. The ESTA travel authorization is not a visa. It does not meet the legal or regulatory requirements to serve in lieu of a U.S. visa when a visa is required under U.S. law. Individuals that possess a valid visa will still be able to travel to the United States on that visa for the purpose it was issued. Individuals traveling on valid visas will not be required to apply for an ESTA. Obtaining ESTA approval, for most travelers, will be simple and easy. Obtaining a visa, however, typically requires an appointment, travel to a U.S. Embassy/Consulate, an interview with a consular officer, processing time, and the payment of a fee (currently $131).
Q: What laws govern ESTA?
A: The ESTA program is required pursuant to Section 217 of the INA, as amended by Section 711 of the “Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007” (9/11 Act). This legislation requires DHS to develop and implement an automated system to determine, in advance of travel, the eligibility of visitors to travel to the U.S. under the VWP and whether such travel poses a law enforcement or security risk.
Q: When will travelers be required to obtain an ESTA?
A: The system will initially be available in English only to process voluntary applications beginning on Aug. 1, 2008. The system will be available in a variety of different languages to facilitate the voluntary application process for the overwhelming majority of VWP travelers. These languages will be available by Oct. 15, 2008.
ESTA will be implemented as a mandatory program 60 days after publication of a notice in the Federal Register. DHS anticipates that the Secretary of Homeland Security will issue that notice in November 2008, for implementation of the mandatory ESTA requirements on Jan. 12, 2009. Once ESTA is mandatory, all nationals or citizens of VWP countries who plan to travel to the United States for temporary business or pleasure under the VWP will require an approved ESTA prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the United States under the VWP.
Q: If I am approved through ESTA to travel to the United States, does that mean I can enter the country?
A: Not necessarily. An ESTA approval only authorizes a traveler to board a carrier for travel to the United States under the VWP. In the same way that a valid visa does not constitute a determination of admissibility, an approved ESTA is not a guarantee of admissibility to the United States at a port of entry. In all cases, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers make admissibility determinations at our ports of entry or pre-clearance facilities.
A: Once a traveler’s ESTA application has been successfully completed and submitted online, the application will be queried against appropriate law enforcement databases. In most cases, ESTA will provide an almost immediate determination of eligibility for travel under the VWP.
There are three types of responses to an ESTA application: Authorization Approved, Authorization Pending, and Travel Not Authorized. Those applicants who receive an approval are then authorized to travel to the United States under the VWP. Applicants who receive an Authorization Pending response will need to check the Web site for updates within 72 hours to receive a final response. Applicants whose ESTA applications are denied will be referred to the U.S. Department of State for information on how to apply for a visa to travel to the United States. ( U.S. Department of State )
Q: How long is a travel authorization via ESTA valid?
A: Each approved ESTA application will be valid for a period of two years, such that a visitor may travel to the United States repeatedly within a two-year period without having to apply for another ESTA. Travelers whose ESTA applications are approved, but whose passports will expire in less than two years, will receive an ESTA valid until the passport’s expiration date.
Q: What is the cost to the traveler?
A: DHS will not initially collect a fee for ESTA applications. When it is determined at a later time that a fee will be charged, the fee would be implemented through the United States government’s rulemaking process.
Q: Can prospective travelers apply for an ESTA if they want to be able to travel to the United States on short notice?
A: VWP travelers are not required to have specific plans to travel to the United States before they apply for an ESTA authorization. DHS recommends that an ESTA approval be obtained as soon as a VWP traveler begins to plan a trip to visit the United States, and no later than 72 hours before departure to the United States. However, ESTA will accommodate last minute and emergency travelers.
Q: What information do I need in order to complete the ESTA application?
A: The traveler must provide (in English) biographical data including name, birth date, and passport information, as well as travel information such as the flight number and destination address in the United States. The traveler will also be required to answer VWP eligibility questions regarding communicable diseases, arrests and convictions for certain crimes, and past history of visa revocation or deportation, among others.
Q: When can I apply for a travel authorization via ESTA?
A: On August 1, 2008, DHS will begin to accept voluntary ESTA applications through the ESTA Web site at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Initially, the site will be operational in English only, but additional languages will be available in October 2008.
Q: If people have received ESTA approval, do they also need to fill out an I-94W?
A: DHS has been coordinating with commercial air and vessel carriers on the development and implementation of messaging capabilities for passenger data transmissions that will enable DHS to provide the carriers with messages pertaining to a passenger's boarding status. A prospective VWP traveler’s ESTA status is a component of a passenger’s boarding status that has been introduced into the plans for implementing messaging capabilities between DHS and the carriers. The implementation of the ESTA program will allow DHS to eventually eliminate the requirement that VWP travelers complete an I-94W prior to being admitted to the United States.
After Jan. 12, 2009, a VWP traveler with a valid ESTA will not be required to complete the paper Form I-94W when arriving on a carrier that is capable of receiving and validating messages pertaining to the traveler’s ESTA status as part of the traveler’s boarding status. Until ESTA is mandatory, however, all VWP travelers applying for admission at a U.S. port of entry, including those VWP travelers who possess a voluntary ESTA authorization, must still present the Form I-94W to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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